Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting (Volume 6)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904. Excerpt: ... it is a legitimate and acknowledged child of its own home. Such a rule would give safety to the people of the entire State. A preponderance of legislative sentiment would favor it. Governors tired of having their reputations, as well as their midnight sleep, assailed would welcome it. The man with the grip-sack would be the chief and the only mourner. Gentlemen, the remedy for the hitherto unending train of abuses in local legislation is, I firmly believe, to be had for the mere asking. DISCUSSION. SENATOR JAMES E. SCRIPPS, OF DETROIT. I would like to take occasion to endorse what Mr. Heineman has said upon the subject of legislation in this state. The process of legislation at Lansing is simply a farce. If there is anything dear to my heart it is that the next Legislature be truly an administrative body of men, and that a few needful bills may be passed, and the most pernicious practice of passing legislation without the members of the Legislature ever reading the bill may be discontinued. Bills have been passed that not even a committee has gone through. E. R. NELLIS, MAYOR OF WYANDOTTE. I desire to state that Wyandotte had an experience with the last Legislature which very forcibly illustrates the position taken by Mr. Heineman. We awoke one morning to the fact that the Legislature had passed a bill redistricting our city into four wards. The signature of the Governor was necessary to the validity of the bill; but before anything could be done, some promoter of the bill secured the signature of the Governor. Who are the authors of this bill has not yet been discovered. If they came out of their hiding place, like the proverbial ground hog, they would see their shadow and go back again. No city official knew that the bill was pending, and the public in ...